Yesterday in the Dáil, Deputy Martin Kenny (SF) spoke about Sligo County Council’s financial crisis which he raised as a topical Issue.

Deputy Kenny said that Sligo County Council’s plan is unworkable and that services are being cut, “but the people of Sligo have as much right as those in any other county in Ireland to services such a libraries and roads in good repair.”

Deputy Kenny said: “The people of Sligo pay property taxes and when they go to build a house they pay development charges and they deserve the same services as people in every other county.

“The people of Sligo did not run up this legacy debt,” he said, referring to the so-called “surplus” being taken out of the budget every year to deal with debts.

“This is money that is not being spent locally, it is being taken out of the shops and local businesses where it would have been spent. Next year this surplus is to go to €3.4 million and the following year to €4 million. It is totally unworkable. It is not as if we have huge economic development or growth West of the Shannon. We have not, we have a crisis in fact following Brexit,” he said.

Deputy Kenny went on to tell the Dáil that when funds were made available to alleviate flooding last year, Sligo County Council had to hire 12 people because it did not even have the staff to deal with that crisis.

“I would implore the Minister to sit down with the elected Sligo county councillors and review this plan to find a workable solution.”